Illuminated electric clock



Nov. 5, 1957 J. L. ARCHER ILLUMINATED ELECTRIC CLOCK Filed May 10, 1954 Fl G. 1

INVENTOR. JOHN L. ARCHER. BY.

ATTORNEY United States Patent i ILLUMINATED ELECTRIC CLOCK John L. Archer, Omaha, Nebr.

Application May 10, 1954, Serial No. 428,674

1 Claim. (Cl.2402.1)

This invention relates to lighting fixtures generally, but more especially to such a fixture having a clock incorporated therein'toand which is illuminated by the light of said fixture.

The invention has among its general objects the production of such a device that is quite simple in its construction so as 'to be relatively low in cost, Which will incorporate a "fluorescent lighting tube therein as the source of illumination and which will therefore be'inexpensive to operate, which is readily changeable from one location to another, which is sturdy in construction so as to be long-lasting and not likely to easily get out of operation through failure of its parts, and which will be otherwise safe, satisfactory and efiicient for use wherever deemed applicable.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to so construct such a device that substantially all of its working parts will be concealed within the hollow body of the same, to thereby appear neat and attractive in appearance and harmonize readily with its surroundings, and which will tend to maintain said working parts free from dirt and other foreign matter which might otherwise adhere to said parts.

Another object of the invention is to so construct such a device that said illuminating element thereof will not only properly light the clock portion of the same so as to render the latter readily readable, but will at the same time throw its light beyond the device itself so as to permit said device to be used as a night light at any areas that will benefit by such service, as for instance the interior of shops and stores.

An added object of my invention is to so construct a device of the kind described, in which the clock face element of the same will be sufiiciently larger than the lighting element therebehind, so as to extend radially outwardly beyond the latter and keep the direct glare of the light from interfering with viewing of the clock by observers, and in addition such an enlarged face area permits placement of advertising messages and the like thereon, to enhance the usefulness of the article.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described, and the uses and advantages thus obtained, will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, as will be seen from the disclosures hereinafter given.

To this end, my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, combination and form of parts herein shown and described, all as will be more clearly pointed out in the following specification.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters represent like or corresponding parts throughout the views,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device, with parts broken away in order to show the invention more clearly;

Figure 2 is another elevational view, taken substantially at right angles to that shown in Fig. 1, and with the hands of the clock omitted for the sake of clarity; and

Figure 3 is an exploded view, showing the interiors of 2,812,421 Patented Nov. v5, 1 957 both shell elements, with the electrical controls affixed therein.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated a'preferred embodiment of my invention, therein is shown an illuminating fixture having a 'clock as a component'thereof so that the device will serve a two-fold purpose. Such a device lends itself well to use as a window display, or may be afiixed within a store or shop to not only serve as a clock but to be useful as a night light after the store or shop has been closed.

There are a pair of mating shell or dome elements 1 and 2, that are adapted to be interlocked to form a casing or housing, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, each of said elements provided with a plurality of ears 3 spaced apart circumferentially, said ears intended to have bolts or similar fastening elements 4 inserted therethrough when the ears of one of the shells are in registry with those of the mating shell, to thus maintain the shells interlocked. As seen, these elements 1 and 2 are planar across their open faces.

The various electrical items necessary for the proper Operation of the'device as a light and clock, are mounted to one or the other of said elements 1 and 2, the former having the ballast 5 and starter assembly 6 securely afi'lxed therein. An electrically operable clock-work mechanism 16 is similarly aflixed to the inside of the other element 2, with the shaft or stem 7 of the clockwork projecting axially outwardly through said shell 2. The shell element 1, which is to the rear when the fixture is in mounted operative position, may have an opening 8 therethrough and through which all of the wiring for the device is threaded, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and further this shell may be formed with another aperture through its rear wall, so that the device may be suspended from an upright wall, if desired.

An electrical connector plug 9 provides the source of electrical energy for operating the device and may be connected to any handy electrical outlet in the usual manner, and through said aperture 10 a cord extends for mounting another connector element 11 for interconnecttion with a conventional circular fluorescent lighting tube or envelope 12. Clips 13, preferably of suitable spring material may be detachably and rotatably carried on the interlocked ears of the mated shell elements, the same bolts 4 acting not only to hold the shells in assembled relation, but also to keep said clips in mounted position.

As thus constructed, it will be noted that the circular lighting tube boundingly encircles the casing and will illuminate the area about the fixture to enable the latter to perform one of the intended functions of the device, namely, as a lighting fixture, handily and efiiciently.

A clock face element 14, preferably of a larger size transversely than that of the casing or lighting tube so as to project radially therebeyond for any predetermined distance, is made of any suitable or preferred lightpervious material such as glass or a plastic, and this face element may be made in any suitable or preferred shape or form, as for instance the circular one shown herein for the sake of simplicity.

This element 14 is provided with a central opening 20 that will permit the element to fit readily over the projecting clock-work shaft 7, and this face element is de' tachably mounted on the casing by one or more screws 15 which are engageable in correspondingly threaded spacers 18 that are carried at the exterior of the shell element 2, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The clock hands 19 may be operably frictionally mounted on the shaft or stem 7 and be movable across the clock face to indicate the time.

Although no advertisement is illustrated in the drawing, it is intended that the enlarged clock face carry any desired advertising message or emblem from time to time,

and such advertisement will be clearly illuminated and made prominent by the light that is positioned behind the face element to render the latter clearly readable from in front of the same.

Further, the clock face element may be replaced from time to time with a differently shaped one or with another that has a different advertising message on its face. thereby enhancing the value of the device as an advertising medium. Such face elements are readily and easily replaceable at any time, without disturbing the clock-Work itself, and may be done from the front of the device, by loosening the screws 15 and pulling ofi the frictionally held hands; and after the replacement element has been mounted in place, the screws may be afiixed and the sanding, painting, etc.

I claim: In an electric clock, a pair of detachably interlocking like hollow shells each circular in outline and open at one side and closed across the opposite side to together form a hollow enclosing casing in which a clock mechanism and fluorescent lighting tube controls may be concealed, said shells each having ears thereon projecting radially therebeyond and circumferentially spaced apart along the outer periphery so that the ears of one shell abut those of the other shell when the shells are in assembled relation with their open sides opposed, clockwork securely carried on the interior of only one of said shells, fluorescent lighting tube controls secured to the interior of the other shell so as to be carried entirely by the latter, means coacting with said mating ears to hold said shells in assembled relation, spring clips held on said ears by said last-mentioned means to detachably receive a fluorescent circular lighting tube to peripherally bound the exterior of said casing, and means for replaceably mounting a clock face element of light-permeable material on one of said shells closely'adjacent the latter and replaceable entirely from in front of said casing, said clock face element projecting radially beyond said casing and tube, and said tube arranged between said casing and clock face element to illuminate the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Archer July 12, 1955 

